Meet the Author

Susan Miho Nunes

Susan Miho Nunes is very interested in the mix of cultures that make up American life. Nunes, a native of Hawaii and now a resident of California, has Japanese and Portuguese ancestry. Her son and nephews share this background, as well as different combinations of Jewish, Persian, African American, and American Indian ancestry.

Her interest in blended cultures is reflected in Nunes's book The Last Dragon. She explains, "My mother used to say that the problem with children is that in time they wipe out your history. Indeed, here in America that history is sometimes lost in the great brew. On one level, then, The Last Dragon is about a child who discovers something unique about himself and his culture. But I hope this 'message' doesn't drown out other points. There is something about this dragon."

When she wrote The Last Dragon, Susan Miho Nunes says, she "intended that there be many things going on in the story," and she wanted the illustrations to add information that the text says little about. Do you think the book succeeds in matching her intentions? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with a classmate.